Homeowners, Pilots Find Level Ground

BRAD BENNETT & KARLA SCHUSTER ON THE BEAT

Pilots are people, too ... The Airport Noise Compatibility Committee, created to improve relations between pilots and homeowners and find ways to reduce noise problems at the Boca Raton Airport, appears to be doing its job.

Chadda Kelly, a homeowner and member of the committee, told the group at its meeting last week that she recently attended a Boca Raton Pilots Association meeting, ``looked around and realized `Hey, these pilots are a pretty nice group of guys.'

``They're not on a mission to make my life miserable, they're a decent group of people, and I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't attended the meeting,'' Kelly said.

``Yea, pilots are people, too _ just don't let it get out, you'll ruin our image,'' quipped committee member Dave Freudenberg, who is president of the Pilots Association.

* Budget kudos . . . A national finance organization has honored Boca Raton for the efficiency and clarity of its financial report for the 1995-96 budget year. The Government Finance Officers Association, which is based in Chicago, gave a certificate of achievement to Deputy Financial Services Director Linda Davidson, who prepares the city's annual finance report.

* Tag team . . . City attorneys took turns reading ordinances and interpreting the law for Delray Beach city commissioners at Tuesday night's meeting.

City Attorney Susan Ruby said she wanted to give assistant city attorneys David Tolces and Brian Shutt some on-the-job training in working with commissioners during a meeting.

``It was just sort of spontaneous to give each of the lawyers a little staff development,'' Ruby said.

But the move prompted Mayor Jay Alperin to say that all the movement at the dais resembled a wrestling bout.

``I was joking when I said that it looked like a tag team match up there,'' Alperin said.

Ruby, admittedly not a sports fanatic, said she thought the mayor was referring to football.

``She's very good about not trying to steal the glory in her department,'' Alperin said. ``She shares it regularly.''

* Election update . . . County Commissioners Mary McCarty and Carol Roberts have filed to run for re-election. Roberts was first elected in 1986 and McCarty in 1990.

McCarty was to be honored Saturday night by B'nai B'rith International at awards dinners at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Manalapan. The commissioner is being recognized for her participation in the Welfare to Work program that helps single mothers on welfare.

* Stadium unveiling . . . Roger Dean Stadium, the county's new spring training home for the St. Louis Cardinals and Montreal Expos, will have its grand opening on Feb. 28. The $28 million stadium was paid for with money borrowed against bed tax income. The teams are helping pay the loan. Brad Bennett covers Delray Beach and can be reached at 561-243-6647. Karla Schuster covers Boca Raton and can be reached at 561-243-6641. Merle Augustin and Jim Di Paola contributed to this report.